


Just not John.

by areeskimosreal



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:49:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25038022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/areeskimosreal/pseuds/areeskimosreal
Summary: Kayleigh's last day in the store.
Relationships: Kayleigh Kitson & John Redmond
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	Just not John.

She obviously knew this day would come, what was it he had called her once, " a bloody retail gypsy ", then he had had to explain to her that it wasn't an insult, and she did gain a beautiful bouquet of lilies out of it, but here she was once again, a job had run its course, it was time to move on, find work somewhere else, make new friends. She smiled at the irony in that thought , friends, where were they now eh, where were they now?.

It had only been a couple of months since she got out of his car in a temper, storming off determined not to make a fool of herself again, but a lot had happened in that short time, both good and bad, not that anyone here seemed to care anymore. John suddenly deciding to move on had been a bolt from the blue, no one saw it coming, it had been completely unexpected, but that's how he wanted it, he thought it was for the best, the ultimatum was the last straw, he had quite simply had enough. He didn't even work his notice, used his holiday accrual and annual leave in lieu, finished up on the Friday, and never appeared at the store on Monday. Word soon got around, and Kayleigh was the word on everyone's lips.

The first few weeks, despite Kayleigh's repeated requests to be left alone, and for people to mind their own business, were a never ending round of questions, then there were the nods, and the whispers, and "poor thing " being said about her, she heard it whispered all around her, but always behind her back, no one said it to her face, no one.

John had never believed her, no matter how many times she tried to tell him people liked him, he would scoff,

" Hate me less than Dave maybe, but like, nah "

Because John was liked, and because John was gone, things soon changed, there was a new sheriff in town now,and he wasn't as good as the last one, and she was seen as the reason the good guy went.

Iain Cuthbertson was a likeable young man, he filled John's position, he was capable and experienced but he just wasn't John.

First to go was Janine, Iain had brought her in and given her a written final warning, she had been overheard insulting Dave again, she told him to eff off, "this isn't primary school sonny ".

He sacked her there and then.

Sharon went next, excessive absenteeism, even her recent bereavement wasn't a mitigating factor, rules are rules.

Dave hated having a new assistant, there was no give and take with him, it was all by the book.

He soon regretted placing John under such strain, he couldn't slack off now, he couldn't treat Iain like he had John, he had to watch his own back now.

Iain was good, but he had no compassion, no empathy, no humanity, he just wasn't John.

The scuffle in the loading bay saw Sean and Micky leave the company, John would have dragged the two of them into his office, read them the riot act, threatened to kick their arses and sent them to different parts of the store to cool off, Iain didn't, summary dismissal due to gross misconduct, but then again Iain wasn't John.

Elsie was next, caught eating one of the company's rotisserie chickens in the deli preparation area, no more finals off she went.

Diane from non foods soon followed, she found the new regime unpalatable, so she said, and pointed out to Kayleigh that the new guy, just wasn't John, and hoped that she was happy now. She never said she was.

People soon stopped giving Kayleigh pitying looks, instead they became indifferent, and eventually they became downright hostile. The fact that people were being sacked because of their own indiscretions didn't seem to register, what did register was that John wasn't there, wasn't there to kick arse, wasn't there to give out bollockings, wasn't there to ask them what was going on and could he help, he just wasn't there, there was no John to protect them any more.

Kayleigh was there though, and it was obviously her fault, she did it, she was to blame, she had left them without John. She had made the man they never acknowledged leave them, a man they ridiculed, a man they never gave a second thought for, a man they took for granted, but now they realised they needed that man, but he was gone, it was all down to her, Kayleigh Kitson, it was all her fault.

Cath still spoke to her, not like she had though, oh no, it was strictly business now, being asked if she would call her Miss Hilton when they were on the shopfloor put the tin lid on it for Kayleigh.

" Dirty little bitch " Kayleigh thought to herself, " if you only knew what John had told me about you Missus high and mighty, you'd shit yourself ", and despite her desire to take Cath down a peg or two, she wouldn't, John had told her those things in confidence, and she wouldn't break that, she wouldn't break that trust, ever, no matter what.

It was obvious that people that she had considered friends or at least acquaintances over the past while, were John's friends and they had put up with her on sufferance, but not now. Some didn't even give her the time of day, that in itself would drive some people away, but in her heart she knew she would have left here anyway, there was no reason to stay, not now .

" Need a help babe ? "

" No it's okay Donna, I'm sure I'll manage"

" Give me a shout if you do though, and don't walk out yourself, I'll come to the carpark with ye, okay ?"

" Okay Donna, and thanks "

" No worries babe, just text "

Kayleigh chuckled as she put her key in her locker, she would leave the key for the next unlucky sod to inherit, but the pink fluffy pom pom keyring was definitely going with her, it was one of the first things he had bought her, John, he did that type of thing, nice thing caring things, John things, she opened her locker and sighed.

" Not much to show for going on six years is there Kitson?" she said to herself. 

As she said it she realised that this was the longest that she had ever kept a job, maybe she was a retail gypsy after all.

She used her foot and drew the waste bin closer, most of the tack in her locker was going straight to landfill.

Why she had another pair of shoes exactly like the ones she was wearing was beyond her, so they went in the bin, she'd keep her makeup bag, all her health and safety bumf, bin, first aiders certificate, bin, a box of serving gloves, definitely bin, old Christmas cards, bin .

" Forgot about these " she took out a pack of three pairs of stockings, " Brand new too " she put them in her bag. Once again smiling as she remembered the first time John noticed she wore stockings, and the huge grin he wore for a little while after that. A pile of post it notes on the top shelf caught her attention, they were all in that distinctive flowery almost feminine handwriting of his, although they had kept in touch by text, when he worked here that was, he would still stick these through the gap in her locker door, never on it, always in it, he didn't want just anyone to read them, they were private, personal, copyright, so like John. She flicked through them, they had started plain enough, signed John (Redmond), then he slowly progressed to John , then to John x, and the last was signed Jxx. How could she have misread that, she knew she'd never know. She threw them in the bin, then had second thoughts and retrieved them. She pulled the little mirror off the door, she had used that every night, making sure she looked good for going home, looked good for getting in his car, looked good for him. She was going to bin it but then thought it might fit in her new locker, if she gets issued with one, that is. A few old pens, a name badge with a missing pin, some outdated promotional information sheets, and a pamphlet on mental health, all binned. She took wet wipes from her bag and cleaned the locker thoroughly. They could call her what they wanted but they could never call her dirty. 

" All over then love ?"

Kayleigh turned to see Steve, head of security.

" Come to escort me off the premises?" Kayleigh smiled at him.

" Not single handed, no " Steve replied, chuckling.

" All done here I guess " Kayleigh threw her wet wipes in the bin.

" Need me to carry anything for you, love ?"

" Well if it won't hurt your masculine pride, this shoulder bag weighs a ton now "

" No worries Kayleigh, you going to the car park?"

" Aye " Kayleigh looked around." Now okay ?"

" Sure , Jesus, you weren't joking about this bloody bag were you ?"

" I thought you were tough Steve "

" Go on you, shift your arse " Steve joked as Kayleigh headed off.

She never looked around as she left, as she neared the staff exit, she smiled to herself, rather than feel loss, she started to feel like she was nearing a new beginning. 

" You have got to be kidding me. " Steve said as he exited the door, held open by Kayleigh.

" I'll take that Steve mate ." John said as he walked towards the security guard.

Kayleigh kissed John as he passed.

" You two do realise that not a bugger in here knows?"

" Exactly how we wanted it Steve buddy " John said as he retrieved Kayleigh's bag.

" You two are together I'm assuming ?"

John looked at Kayleigh and wiggled his eyebrows.

Kayleigh smiled at him and pulled her necklace up over her collar, she slipped a large engagement ring off of it and slipped it on her left hand, smiling even wider, she wiggled her fingers at an enthralled Steve.

" That answers my question then, why the secrecy ? "

" No real reason pal, we just wanted to be us, not shop gossip, if we said we were together her or me would have been subjected to a monumental piss take, and I didn't want that for her, so I went to run a store for the Co op, and now I've created a job for her, Kayleigh can join me "

Steve nodded knowingly. 

" If you'd said love, you could have made things easier for yourself wi that lot of arses, you know that dont you ?" Steve said directly to Kayleigh.

" Yes, but after Dave gave John the ultimatum that either, I went or John would have to, I decided to play hard ball, Dave wasn't getting to hear a thing about what was happening with John "

"I can understand right enough "

" We're both better off out of there truth be told " Kayleigh said, holding John's hand.

" I best head back in, keep in touch you two okay ?"

" Thanks Steve " John shook his old friends hand.

Kayleigh got in the car, John closed her door and started walking around to his side.

" John ?"

" Aye Steve?"

" All the best mate, oh and by the way I never saw you "

" Thanks buddy "

" Have a nice life John, both of you "

John nodded, and realised that some people perhaps did like him after all. Pity that .


End file.
